Automatic curve-showing headlight.



INVENTORJ rgya e u 7 J); V 5/? 1- Mr 71W) Patented Sept. 2, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

P. W. & P. S. SNYDER.

AUTOMATIG CURVE SHOWING HEADLIGHT.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 16, 1912 T I L e MUJJJHJJUUU WITNESSES P. W. & P.S. SNYDER.

AUTOMATIC CURVE snowme HEADLIGHT.

APPLIOATION FILED OCT. 16, 1912.

Patented Sept. 2, 1913.

2 SHEETS-BHEET 2.

WITNESSES M TE STATEEi PATENT @QFFTCE.

PHAON W. SNYDER AND PAUL S. SNYDER, 0F WOOSTER, OHIO.

AUTOMATIC CURVE-SHOWING HEADLIGHT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Septdd, 1913.

Application filed October 16, 1912. Serial No. 726,112.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that we, PIIAON \V. SNY- mm and PAUL S. SNYDER, citizens ofthe United States, residing at \Vooster, in the county of lVayne andState of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inAutomatic Curve-Showing Headlights, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawinThis invention relates to an attachment which is intended to be used inconnection with a street car, locomotive or other vehicle, theattachment being a holder for the lamp and being so constructed that thelamp will be turned as the car tracks curve, thus turning the light inthe direction in which the car is turning.

The principal object of the invention is to provide an improved meansfor mounting the shaft upon which the lamp is secured so that if theguiding lines should break the lamp will be held in a position to throwits light directly in front of the car and not to one side.

This device also prevents the lamp from being turned slightly from sideto side as the truck shifts slightly between the rails. This isaccomplished by providing an improved type of bearing through which theshaft passes, the shaft being provided with small rollers which rest inpockets formed in the side Walls of the bearing, the sides of thepockets being sloped so that the small rollers must travel up hill whenthe lamp is turning, and will, therefore, normally stay in the bottom ofthe pocket thus holding the lamp in the desired position.

This invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, whereinFigure 1 is a side elevation of a car pro vided with the improved lamp."Fig. 2 is a plan view showing the car turning a curve in the track andthe lamp throwing its light in the direction in which the car isturning. Fig. 3 is a sectional view through the forward portion of thecar with the lamp holding shaft in place. Fi t is a top plan view of thehearing. Fig. o is a side elevation of the bearing. Fig. 6 is aperspective view of the lower portion of the lamp holding shaft. Fig. 7is a perspective view of the cross bar which is secured to the lower endof the shaft.

This invention is used in connection with a car 10 provided with theforward and rear trucks l1 and 12. These trucks are of the usualconstruction so that it is not necessary to describe the crmstruction ofthe trucks. A platform -13 extends from the forward end of the ca r andis provided with a vertically extending opening l-il so that the shaftwhich carries the lamp may pass through the platform. A. hearing 15 issecured to the platform 13 with its central opening positioned inalinement with the opening 1st.

From an inspection of Figs. t and 5 it will be seen that this hearing 15comprises a base plate l6 which is provided with the openings 17 throughwhich securing bolts may pass and a thickened central portion l8 havingits side walls provided with oppositely disposed cut-out portions 19forming pockets, the sides of which are sloped.

A vertical shaft 20 passes through the bearing 15 and has its upper endpassing through a plate 2L A pin 22 passes transversely through theshaft 20 and rollers 23 are rotatably mounted upon the end portions ofthis pin. These rollers 23 are positioned in the pockets 1t), and itwill thus be seen that when the shaft 20 is turned that the rollers willtravel up the inclined sides of the pocket. if the lines which operatethe lamp should break while the lamp is in the turned position, theweight of the lamp and shaft will cause the shaft to he moveddownwardly. After the car has completed the turn these rollers willprevent the shaft from accidentally turning. It should be noted that thesides of the pockets are of such length that when the lamp turns, theshaft will not turn a sullicient distance for the rollers to ride overthe upper edges of the pockets and thus there is no danger of the lampswinging in the wrong direction if the operating lines should break.

A. bar 2 1- is rigidly secured to the lower end of the shaft 90 and isprovided at its ends with eye-bolts E25 so that the guiding lines 26 maybe connected with the bars 2i. 'lhese lines 26 pass through openingsformed in a bar QT secured to the bottom of the car and have their innerends connected with springs 98 which are carried by eye-bolts 2). Theseeye-bolts are carried by the truck 11 upon opposite sides of its pivotpin 30, and it will thus be seen that when the car turns a curve thatthe shaft 20 will be rotated thus turning the lamp in the direction inwhich the car is turning.

The lamp 31 is secured to brackets 32 which are adjustably mounted uponthe shaft 20 and held in place by the set screws 33, Shielding plates 34and 85 are carried by the car so that the operating means for the lampwill be protected from snow and me.

From the above description it will be readily understood that when thelamp is mounted as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 that the lamp will turn whenthe car turns a curve and that the pockets and rollers will permit theshaft to be turned by the lines 26 when turning a curve, but if thelines become broken they will prevent the lamp from ac cidentallyturning.

By adjusting the eyebolts 25, the amount the lamp turns can beregulated. By this device the lamp is held steady so that it will not bemoved by the trucks shifting between the tracks, and will be held tothrow its light in front of the car if the guiding-lines break.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, is

A device of the character described comprising a supporting platform, aplate mounted upon said platform, a socket formed upon said plate andprovided with an opening positioned in alinement with an opening formedin said platform, the upper edge of said socket being provided withPHAON W. SNYDER. PAUL S. SNYDER.

\Vitnesses WV. HOWARD Ross, CHARLES A. YVEISER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C.

